Book Review: PrayerWalk by Janet Holm McHenry

The subtitle of this book is “Becoming a Woman of Prayer, Strength & Discipline.”  It’s a great subtitle, except that it leads one to believe that it is a book for women only.  Any Christian woman or man could benefit from reading this book.  We all know that both praying and exercising are things we should do, but both often fall to the way-side.  McHenry tells her own story of beginning to prayerwalk out of desperation in her own spiritual life and because her middle-aged body needed to get back in shape.

I usually take my dog.  He's getting in better shape too-- but he lets the praying up to me.

When I was about half way through this book, I began prayerwalking myself.  I absolutely love it.  Of course it helps that the weather has been perfect for me on Pennsylvania early July mornings, and I know the discipline will become more challenging when the weather doesn’t cooperate.  But McHenry gives excellent ideas for prayer topics, warns against pitfalls of walking too much too soon, tells tips for prayerwalking with a partner, and explains how it will benefit your community (and others for whom you pray) and you personally--body and soul.

A benefit of prayerwalking is getting to enjoy God's creation each morning.

I have found the discipline to be challenging because my mind still does a lot of wandering; yet rewarding because this is time set apart for the Lord (and nothing else) each day.  Even after I return home from my walks, my thoughts turn more easily and frequently to God in prayer.  To quote the author, “It takes time to intercede for others in prayer before the Father, and prayerwalking allows for that time.  Intercession is an essential ministry, not a last-minute, last-ditch effort of casually throwing things in God’s lap.  Prayerwalking is not an easy way to ‘take care of prayer’ while you get good exercise.  It is a call to spend rich time with God, carrying others’ loads.  The walking is only a means to make it all happen.”  Prayerwalking has truly revolutionized my prayer life and rejuvenated my relationship with God.  Without this book, I wouldn’t have embarked on this prayerwalking journey.

Although I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review, that fact has not influenced the content of the review.

If you would like, you can rate my review on the Multnomah website at http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/view/10406